Again, there was no inaugural Test series between India and Zimbabwe. Previously, they had
played only one-off Test matches in each country, in 1992 and 1993, and would
do so again on this tour.

The playing programme remained over-crowded. The Board of Control
for Cricket in India (BCCI) sent separate teams to the Commonwealth Games in
Kuala Lumpur (led by Ajay Jadeja) and to the Sahara Cup in Toronto (led by
Azharuddin), which were scheduled simultaneously, just before this tour.

Tendulkar had been stripped of the captaincy in January and
Azharuddin brought back.

Ajit Wadekar, new chairman of the national selectors, said he was
not unduly perturbed by the fact that his first exercise in team selection,
as chairman, had resulted in the defeat against Zimbabwe.

Melbourne-based Andrew
Kokinos was appointed physical fitness trainer in February 1998 on the
recommendation of Bob Simpson, who was technical expert supporting the coach.

Selectors

Kishen Rungta (chairman, Central Zone), A.L.Wadekar (West Zone), S.Yadav (South), Mohinder Pandove (North), Sambaran Bannerjee (East).The national selectors met in Delhi to choose the
side, the last act of this committee which was replaced on 23 September

Selection

Unavailable: none

Tour Party Announced :18 September 1998.

The secretary of B C C I, Mr J Y Lele,
named the 14-member squad,

Not included:V Prasad, S B Joshi.

Uncapped Agarkar took the
place of Prasad.

Time between selection and departure from India5 days

(18 - 23 September

Travel

MumbaiQJohannesbrgQHarare

The Indian team arrived in Mumbai
from the Sahara Cup tournament in Toronto late
on Tuesday night, and left again for Harare
early on Thursday morning 23 September 1998.

They took a South African
Airways flight from Mumbai taking off at 3 am, and then waited in transit at Johannesburg airport for five hours, arriving in Bulawayo on the evening
of 24 September, though without Robin Singh who was delayed further after his
baggage was lost.

Time spent in Zimbabwex
days

(24 September - depart Host)

On-tour
selection committee

-

Reinforcements

The chairman of selectors
said the next committee would pick any extra players for the Test match after
the one-day series, but there were no replacements.